i Audio

Arab communities settled in the UK are actively taking part in the Arab Spring. Although they are physically far from what is happening back in their countries, they are showing that they are emotionally close. With all eyes now focused on Syria, I talked to Arabs in London to see how are they involved, and what they are doing to send their messages across.

UK Arabs Part of the Arab Spring – Radio Documentary Trailer

Despite being hundreds of miles away, Arabs in the UK are actively taking part in the Arab Spring. Those who had to keep silent before the uprisings are now able to speak up. They found various platforms to express themselves; they protest, tweet, and organize charity events all the way from London. With Syria now being under the spotlight, I will be talking to the Arabic community in the new episode: UK Arabs part of the Arab Spring.

Art has always been a powerful tool for Self-expression. In the Arab world and under the old regimes people were not given the freedom to express themselves. The Arab spring turned the tables around and the youth are making statements and voicing their opinions through different platforms such music, writing, and graffiti. Let’s go back to when it all started

Sony Rahala, a talented Egyptian Rapper who writes songs based on personal experiences was featured in one of our radio reports, but translated in English. Listen here if you’d like to hear what he told us in Arabic.

On the 10th year anniversary of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba ; prisoners held there without court trials went on a three day hunger strike. People from all over the world showed their support by marching across their cities, attending conferences, and signing petitions. In Kuwait there was a large demonstration outside the American Embassy, In the US marches and hunger strikes took place in different cities including Washington, and in the UK protestors took on Trafalgar Square dressed in orange suits holding signs asking the governments to do something about the two British residents still detained there.

Radio Piece:

Public Sector Pension Strike

In a year filled with riots, protests and strikes, the UK witnessed what is thought to be the biggest strike in a decade. Around two million public sector workers took part in the Trade Union Congress day of action in response to the governments cutting back on their pensions. Thousands of teachers, nurses, civil servants, border agency staff, social workers, tax inspectors, marched across the country. Hospitals were left under staffed, and many schools were closed.

The strikes have been called over government plans to cut pensions for all public sector workers, by cutting employer contributions, increasing personal contributions and increasing the state retirement age to 67 in 2026, eight years earlier than originally planned.

Union leaders were further enraged after an announcement that public sector workers’ pay rises would be capped at 1% for the two years after that